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Welcome to 2009, a year that is sure to be interesting, challenging, and hopefully lucrative for franchisees and franchisors alike.

We just couldn’t let 2008 pass with pointing out an excellent article from the December issue of Business Week magazine that spells out the virtues of franchising.

The article offers prescient advice about some of the important practicalities involved in franchising, including utilising top-notch consultants and employing sound legal advice.

Also featured are three important questions prospective franchisors should ask themselves before commiting themselves to franchising:

1. Firstly, is your flagship business successful? Your flagship’s success will provide the blueprint to a thriving franchise operation.

2. Is your business solely reliant upon your presence? If work is stopping you from taking a vacation, handing over the reins of your franchised business to a manager may prove extremely difficult.

3. Is your business idea simple enough to be franchised?

“Any business that requires a specialized skill or creative talent—say, a restaurant with a complicated menu or a boutique clothing store—isn’t ideal. Relatively simple concepts tend to do the best because they appeal to a diverse pool of would-be franchisees and are quick to launch.”

If you’ve answered ‘Yes’ to these three questions, odds are, you have a business concept that’s perfectly suited to franchising.

Stick with Franchise Direct this year for all the latest news from the world of franchising.

The economic downturn is beginning to shift from Wall Street to Main Street. While financial experts remain uncertain about how long this economic turmoil will continue, the picture in the short-term is stark: banks have seriously slowed down lending lately and the cash flow that underpins the creation and growth of small businesses has stalled.

Yet despite this uncertainty, every entrepreneur will be familiar with Warren Buffet’s famous maxim on investing: “Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful.” Enterprising franchisees will be surveying the suffering business world and envisioning future success when the upturn comes around. The obvious question then is which kind of franchise makes for the perfect opportunity at this financial  moment.

Many businesses claim to be recession-resistant, but shrewd franchisees must see the bigger picture when considering their big investment. Franchisees should only really be considering buying into the most proven brands and products—the day of investing heavily in gimmicky items is over, it seems. There must also be inherent value in the product you are buying into. It must not be a niche item, but instead something that will work for you. For these reasons and for many other, the time seems right to focus on Vending Franchises.

Vending opportunities come in an array of shapes and sizes, stocking a number of interesting items. With Franchise Direct alone, there are vending opportunities for the sale of DVDs, coffee, yogurt and ice. The tremendous diversity within vending franchises is only one of their selling points. Just think of the low overhead costs. Rather than have to spend long nights sweating about staff or rents costs, you can sleep easy knowing that a vending machine will simply pay for itself.

Market forecasts show that vending businesses blossomed by over 43 per cent earlier this decade, according to industry publication Vending Times. And the beauty of a vending business is that while people’s tastes and interests change constantly, the medium, i.e. the vending machine, remains constant. The financial world may be in total upheaval, and  people may be holding back on that extra restaurant meal on a weekend, or that nagging car problem, but the immediacy of a vending product, be it an a can of Coke or a cup of coffee, makes them invaluable products.

Still, there are essential things to consider when purchasing a vending business. Having the time to stock the product is a must before signing up to owning your own machine. Likewise, the location you choose is essentially linked to the profitability of your venture. That said, if you can find a vending concept that will be a sure-fire success, the time has never been better to own your own vending franchise.

There no point in trying to gloss over the stark financial reality of the moment: everyone is feeling the economic pinch.

Consumer confidence is low and banks have been forced to tighten their belts. For automotive franchises, the economic crisis couldn’t have come at a worse time. The skyrocketing price of oil in the last year has forced American drivers to deal with the reality that most drivers around the world have long accepted. With gas looking like it might reach $5 a gallon, the days of cheap driving seem like it might be over.

The statistics make for tough reading for those in the automotive industry. Americans bought 13.6 million new cars in May, which was down 18 percent from the same period in 2007. This was the biggest plunge since October, 2002, which itself proceeded a year of huge car sales. Data also shows that drivers are also holding onto their cars longer.

All and all, it doesn’t seem like the most appetizing time to consider purchasing an automotive franchise. But if one looks deeper into the numbers, they can find reasons to be optimistic.

For one, as the automotive industry endures turbulence, it will be the company with the least amount of exposure that will survive. Many companies, for example, have over-invested in niche accessories that are now surplus to the requirements of today’s frugal drivers. At the same time, as people hold onto their cars longer, they will certainly require further repair work. And as the industry becomes more cutthroat, it will probably be independent businesses that fall by the wayside. In short, the tried-and-true business models of franchises might be the ideal businesses to see you through this rocky economic period.

Obviously, it takes a courageous investor to wade into the uncertain economic waters. But an afterlife automotive franchise with Franchise Direct still offers an interesting opportunity.

Even at times of economic uncertainty, turnkey businesses continue to be an appetizing prospect for people serious about being their own boss.

For those unfamiliar with the phrase, a ‘turnkey’ franchise is essentially one where the franchisee can walk in on the first day, and in effect ‘turn the key’ on their new business.

This is because the business owner has provided virtually every element required to starting the business, arranging everything from site location to lease signing to construction of the unit to the purchase of essentials for launching the business, and even in some cases, the hiring and training the staff.

The popularity of turnkey business raises an interesting question for franchisors: are franchises turnkey businesses? The answer depends. Some franchises owners go out of their way to provide every resource for new franchisees. But the flexibility built into franchising means that some companies will leave the business preparation completely to the franchisee.

If you’re a prospective franchisee, you have the freedom to choose the opportunity that’s right for you. Perhaps you’re a first-time franchise owner and you’d like to eliminate all of the hassle from getting your business off the ground. In that case, a turnkey business might be the right opportunity. But maybe you’d like to micromanage your business and want a hand in every aspect of its preparation. Turnkey business might not appeal to you.

The beauty of franchising is that there are many different opportunities in a range of businesses. Turnkey businesses are just one kind of model. Franchises themselves aren’t necessarily a turnkey business, but if you’re looking for a turnkey opportunity, Franchise Direct will find the company that’s right for you.

To the ambitious businessman or businesswoman, it seems anything can be franchised.

That might be the lesson to take from the expanded growth of the health care franchise industry in recent years. Time was, your local doctor could be relied upon to make house calls for a biting flu, or worse. And while the accessibilty of health care is a politically divisive subject in this year’s election, many entrepreneurs have thrived by bringing the doctor to the people.

So these days, specialist elements of the health care sector are experiencing a resurgence thanks to the benefits of the franchise model.

The rise in health care franchises follows along the familiar franchise story lines: members of niche areas of the health care industry- optometrists, chiropractors, etc. – have found support for their business by signing up with franchises that have broad popularity rather than testing the choppy waters of independent practice.

One of the main advantages of running a health franchise for people trained in medicine is that medicine can again become their primary focus. Under the umbrella of a franchise, doctors can take off their ‘businessman’ cap, as people within the franchise take care of any of branding concerns.

Another advantage of franchising for health care professionals is that customers are attracted to consistent pricing. In independent practice, the cost of routine care can veer wildly from doctor to doctor. Franchises offer fixed pricing from store to store and consumers, whether they are looking for a Big Mac or an eye test, find that reassuring.

Still, health care franchises are not exactly a new industry: estimates put the healthcare and senior care industry around $70 billion. Optometry continues to be perhaps the easiest and one of the most popular health care areas to franchise. Pearle Vision was the first optometry firm to franchise itself and still continues to be a national force. In recent years, there’s also been a boom in spinal care and massage franchises.

There’s probably been no better time to explore purchasing your own health care franchise. In all, Franchise Direct have quite a diverse array of franchises opportunities available. If you think opening your own health care franchise might interest you, why not consider a move with Franchise Direct?